Despite previous rumblings from fans and pundits alike that Karamoko Dembele had stagnated in his early hype, ‘Kaddy’ showed his early promise in Celtic’s last home game against St Johnstone by getting on the scoresheet, as he battles for a starting spot in the First XI next season.
Having scored his first senior goal in the 4-0 drubbing of the Saints, Dembele answered critics who claimed he wasn’t ready for the challenge of the Scottish Premier League. With Ryan Christie looking likely to leave, and James Forrest about to enter his thirties, there is a new spot for a right-winger on the cards; a void Karamoko is looking to fill.
However, ex-theRangers defender and Scotland mishap Alan Hutton has claimed that Dembele has to go on loan to aid his development, if he wants to become the player Celtic fans alike know he can be.
Speaking to Football Insider, Hutton said: “He has to. He did literally burst onto the scene as a 16-year-old and he was an absolute sensation.”
“We thought he was going to be out of this world. It’s not quite worked out, probably, as they planned. He’s quite lightweight but technically skilful, he’s got pace, but it’s difficult within the Scottish league. It’s very physical, the demands are quite high. Maybe he’s just not quite suited to it this season. Especially with it being such a tough season, that has obviously gone against him as well. But he needs to play football, he needs to play minutes against difficult opposition.
“If he’s not going to get games next season under whoever the new manager is, he has to go and play football. He’s getting to that stage now where it’s like: ‘He was a fantastic prospect coming through. He just didn’t quite cut it. For him, as a player, he needs to go away and prove his worth. Show everybody at Celtic how good he actually is and come back a better player. That’s what I’d be telling him if I was in charge.”
If Hutton is right and there isn’t a space for Dembele in ‘such a physical league’, then a loan would be the best thing for his development. Hutton is writing Dembele off too early though; he’s never started a game for the first team, and when he has played he’s more than found he can mix it with the physicality of Scotland’s best clubs. Time will tell, but I have a hunch that Dembele’s breakthrough year will be next year…
